As the teaching of English focuses on grammar in Vietnam, students are weak at speaking and listening, experts say.

In 2023-2024, Vietnam’s average IELTS score was 6.2, with Listening and Speaking skills scoring below the global average.

Thousands of university students in Vietnam face graduation delays each year due to failing English proficiency requirements. While universities argue that their standards are reasonable, students are left struggling to meet the criteria in time.

The Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has outlined an ambitious plan for the 2024-2025 academic year, aiming to introduce English as the second language in Vietnam’s schools.

Former Deputy Minister of Education and Training Tran Van Nhung believes that Vietnam should learn from the successful experiences of Singapore and Malaysia in integrating English into their education systems and broader society.

Efforts should be concentrated on enhancing students’ foreign language proficiency, in order to make English the second language in schools.

 VietNamNet Bridge – More than 711,000 pupils had no access to English education in the 2014-15 school year.